Dominican head girls basketball coach Kevin Schramka steps down

Dominican High School announced in a news release April 29 that longtime girls basketball coach Kevin Schramka has stepped down from the position following an 18-year tenure as head coach of the Knights.

With Schramka’s departure, the school announced a transition to former Dominican star and current track coach Déysha Smith-Jenkins as new girls basketball coach. Smith-Jenkins has served as an assistant coach under Schramka for the last nine seasons.

“As head coach, Smith-Jenkins will inherit a program with a rich history of excellence, in which she once played a vital role on one of its best teams in the 2000s,” the release said.

Smith-Jenkins scored a game-high 21 points for the Knights with five rebounds and three steals in a 62-56 defeat to Kewaunee in the 2011 WIAA Division 3 state girls basketball semifinal round during Dominican’s first trip to the state tournament in program history.

Deysha Smith-Jenkins of Whitefish Bay Dominican

The former Connecticut Husky was also a decorated track star for the Knights, winning five individual state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dash events. She held the D2 state record in the 200 and graduated as Dominican’s all-time record holder in points, rebounds and blocked shots on the hardwood, along with school-record times in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter events on the track.

“My mission as a coach is to build student-athletes who excel academically and athletically, and one day return to uplift the very alma mater that molded them, just like I did,” Smith-Jenkins said in the release. “Because I believe greatness isn’t just about what you achieve, it’s about what you give back, and the legacy you leave.”

Schramka departs the Knights after leading the program to its only two state tournament appearances in 2011 and 2022. He finished his tenure with a record of 307-140 in nearly two decades as head coach.

“There is no one more suited to take on the role of head coach at Dominican High School than Coach Déysha Smith-Jenkins. Her hard work and competitive drive have always set her apart, as a player, coach, and leader,” Schramka said in the release.

“She leads with confidence, purpose, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Coach Smith-Jenkins understands the program's values and culture firsthand, having thrived within it for four years as a player and nine years as an assistant coach. Her transition from assistant coach to head coach is a natural progression, one that honors the legacy of those who came before her while charting an exciting new path forward.”